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Objective: To explore the mechanism of dexmedetomidine (DEX)-mediated miR-134 inhibition in hypoxia-induced damage in PC12 cells. Methods: Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-stimulated PC12 cells were divided into control, H2O2, DEX + H2O2, miR-NC/inhibitor + H2O2, and miR-NC/ mimic + DEX + H2O2 groups. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol(-2-y1)-2,5-diphenytetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, while gene and protein expression levels were detected by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were tested by 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content was determined with a detection kit. Results: DEX treatment decreased H2O2-elevated miR-134 expression. H2O2-induced PC12 cell damage was improved by DEX and miR-134 inhibitor; additionally, cell viability was increased, while cell apoptosis was reduced. In addition, both DEX and miR-134 inhibitor reduced the upregulated expression of cleaved caspase-3 and increased the downregulated expression of Bcl-2 in H2O2-induced PC12 cells. However, compared to that in the DEX + H2O2 group, cell viability in the mimic + DEX + H2O2 group was decreased, and the apoptotic rate was elevated with increased cleaved caspase-3 and decreased Bcl-2 expression. Inflammation and oxidative stress were increased in H2O2-induced PC12 cells but improved with DEX or miR-134 inhibitor treatment. However, this improvement of H2O2-induced inflammation and oxidative stress induced by DEX in PC12 cells could be reversed by the miR-134 mimic. Conclusion: DEX exerts protective effects to promote viability and reduce cell apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in H2O2-induced PC12 cells by inhibiting the expression of miR-134.

Clinical studies have validated low-level viremia is associated with a variety of adverse outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B during the course of receiving nucleos(t)ide analogue antiviral therapy. With the advancement of PCR technology, the high sensitivity PCR detection of HBV DNA can reach the lower limit of detection of5-10 IU/mL. The standard criterion for judging among patients who have achieved complete virological response is HBV DNA levels20 IU/ml. The use of highly sensitive PCR tests can detect very low-level viremia (HBV DNA20 IU/ml, but5-10 IU/mL) in some patients. However, there are currently fewer relevant studies, and more research data needs to be accumulated to answer this clinical question of whether long-term very low-level viremia affects the clinical outcome of patients with chronic hepatitis B.临床研究证实慢性乙型肝炎患者接受核苷（酸）类似物抗病毒治疗过程中存在的低水平病毒血症与多种临床不良结局相关。随着PCR检测水平的提升，高灵敏度PCR技术的HBV DNA检测下限可达到5~10 IU/ml。以HBV DNA20 IU/ml为判断标准获得完全病毒学应答者中，采用更高灵敏度PCR技术仍可发现部分患者存在极低水平的病毒血症（HBV DNA20 IU/ml，但5~10 IU/ml）。长期存在的极低水平病毒血症是否影响慢性乙型肝炎患者的临床结局，目前相关研究较少，需要积累更多的研究数据回答这一临床问题。.

目的 探讨B7H3和纤维连接蛋白（FN）相互作用对人慢性髓性白血病细胞系K562细胞凋亡的影响。 方法 采用流式细胞术检测K562细胞中B7H3分子的表达，构建B7H3过表达细胞。采用免疫共沉淀技术检测B7H3与FN的相互作用。添加外源FN后，通过细胞实验检测细胞黏附和细胞凋亡的变化。Western blot法检测凋亡相关蛋白及PI3K/AKT信号通路的变化。 结果 ① K562细胞低表达B7H3分子，慢病毒转染后得到稳定表达B7H3的细胞系K562 OE-B7H3及其对照细胞系K562 NC-B7H3细胞。②B7H3与FN之间存在相互作用（P＝0.036）。③B7H3与FN的相互作用促进细胞黏附（P

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high incidence and mortality rate in China, and is the worst-than-expected cancer management disease in all provinces of the country. In recent years, systemic drug therapy for HCC has developed rapidly, especially molecular targeted drugs and immune checkpoint blocker being the most prominent. Molecular targeted drugs and immune checkpoint blocker have achieved some progress in the treatment of advanced HCC, but they still have many problems and challenges. This paper briefly introduces the latest advances of drug therapy for advanced HCC.肝细胞癌在我国具有较高的发病率和死亡率，并且是全国各省份中癌症管理较预期最差的疾病。近年来肝细胞癌的系统药物治疗发展迅速，其中以分子靶向药物和免疫检查点抑制剂最为突出。分子靶向药物和PD-1单抗药物在晚期肝细胞癌的治疗中取得了一定的疗效，但仍面临诸多问题和挑战。现简单介绍了晚期肝癌药物治疗的最新进展。.

Liver cancer (HCC) holds third position for cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Therefore, it is urgent to explore new strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer. Illustrating the successful experience of other tumors on precancerous lesions, this paper puts forward the idea of advance strategy for the diagnosis and treatment through dysplastic nodules, especially high-grade dysplastic nodules, which can reduce or delay the carcinogenesis of some patients with cirrhosis. It is hoped that this measure might improve the present situation of diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer in coming days in China.肝癌（HCC）占全球癌症死因的第三位，因此，探索肝癌的诊断和治疗的新策略非常迫切。借鉴其他肿瘤对癌前病变诊疗的成功经验，特提出肝癌诊疗策略前移的设想，通过对不典型增生结节，尤其是高度不典型增生结节的诊治，减少或推迟部分肝硬化患者的癌变，期望这一措施将来有可能改善我国肝癌诊疗的现状。.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of remifentanil (RFT) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury through Fas apoptosis signaling pathway.A total of 36 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, including the sham operation (Sham) group, IR model (IR) group and RFT pretreatment (RFT) group, with 12 rats in each group. Myocardial tissues of rats in each group were collected. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to examine the pathological differences of the myocardium in the three groups. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum of rats in each group were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Meanwhile, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was adopted to detect the apoptosis level of myocardial cells in each group. Furthermore, Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were applied to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of Fas and its pathway indexes, respectively.Compared with the Sham group, LDH and CK activities and MDA level in the IR group were significantly increased, whereas the level of SOD was remarkably decreased (p0.05). Compared with the IR group, RFT pretreatment could significantly reduce the release of LDH and CK-muscle/brain (CK-MB), increase SOD level and decrease MDA level (p0.05). TUNEL results manifested that the apoptosis rate of myocardial cells in the IR group was markedly increased than that of the Sham group (p0.05). Meanwhile, the apoptosis rate of myocardial cells in the RFT group was notably decreased when compared with that of the IR group (p0.05). ELISA results demonstrated that the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) proteins in the RTF group were significantly lower than those of the IR group (p0.05). RT-PCR and Western blotting results indicated that the expressions of Fas, Fas ligand (FasL), and Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) in IR and RFT groups were significantly higher than those of the Sham group (p0.05). However, RTF pretreatment could markedly reduce the levels of Fas, FasL, and FADD (p0.05).RFT can reduce the apoptosis of myocardial cells as well as IR-induced oxidative stress and inflammation by inhibiting the Fas/FasL signal transduction pathway.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier woman of childbearing age with high viral load is an important source of vertical transmission of hepatitis b virus from mother-to-child in China. Routine blockade with immunoglobulin combined with hepatitis B vaccine is used for neonates born to pregnant women with high viral load of hepatitis B virus, but in some cases, immunoprophylaxis fails. The main application of antiviral drugs in pregnancy is to reduce the serum viral load, thereby significantly improve the blocking rate of vertical transmission between mother and infant. Current evidence suggested that if the maternal age is less than 30 years old, with no obvious liver fibrosis or cirrhosis and there is no increase in ALT level2ULN( upper limit of normal) during the treatment, the treatment with antiviral drugs can be stopped after delivery immediately. Additionally, ALT level should be examined at 4, 12 and 24 weeks after stopping the drug. Antiviral therapy for the occurrence of hepatitis attack should be given if criteria for HBV treatment are met.高病毒载量慢性乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）携带的育龄期女性是我国HBV母婴垂直传播的重要传染源。针对HBV高病毒载量孕妇所生新生儿采用免疫球蛋白联合乙型肝炎疫苗进行常规阻断，仍有部分HBV母婴传播阻断失败；在妊娠期应用抗HBV药物，主要是为了降低孕妇血清病毒载量，提高母婴传播阻断率。如果产妇年龄小于30岁、无明显肝纤维化或肝硬化且治疗过程中也无丙氨酸氨基转移酶水平增高2倍正常值上限者，产后即可停用抗病毒药物治疗，并于停药后4、12、24周检查丙氨酸氨基转移酶水平，监测肝炎发作情况。如出现肝炎发作，达到治疗标准，可予以抗病毒治疗。.

第十届慢性病毒性肝炎抗病毒治疗难点和热点学术会议暨第二届中华医学会肝病学分会肝癌学组年会暨感染性疾病诊疗新进展学习班于2018年11月23-25日在云南昆明召开，就肝癌多个研究领域的新进展、新动态、规范化治疗，乙型肝炎临床治愈、母婴传播，丙型肝炎直接抗病毒治疗的机遇与挑战等诸多肝病临床中的难点和热点问题进行了深入广泛地研讨。.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of fulvestrant on the glycolysis of prolactinoma GH3 cells, and reveal the potential regulatory mechanisms.Prolactinoma cell line GH3 was treated with different concentrations of fulvestrant (0, 0.12, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 ng/ml) for 4 h. siRNAs XBP1s and XBP1u were constructed to treat GH3 cells. The expression levels of XBP1s, XBP1u, IRE1, PKM2 and GRP78 of GH3 cells were detected by Western blot. Meanwhile, the glycolytic activity of GH3 cells, including the glucose uptake, ATP/ADP, and lactate production were detected.The expression levels of XBP1s and XBP1u were significantly inhibited by fulvestrant in a dose-dependent manner. The glucose uptake, ATP/ADP and lactate production of GH3 cells were significantly inhibited by fulvestrant as well as siRNA XBP1s and XBP1u (p0.05). Western blot analysis suggested that the expression levels of IRE1, PKM2 and GRP78 were significantly decreased in GH3 cells treated by fulvestrant as well as siRNA XBP1s and XBP1u, compared with those in normal control (p0.05).Fulvestrant could inhibit the glycolysis of GH3 cells by downregulating IRE1/XBP1 signaling pathway, and this process was closely related with the downregulation of PKM2.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the most common causes of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in China. The older standard treatment regimen for chronic hepatitis C was the pegylated interferon-alfa plus ribavirin(PR). Now newer oral medications called direct antiviral agents (DAAs) has been gradually changed to PR-based DAAs and interferon-free, oral DAAs; making chronic hepatitis C a curable disease. This article intends to expound the advantages and disadvantages of PR-based therapy and provide reference for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.慢性丙型肝炎病毒感染是我国肝硬化以及肝细胞癌的病因之一。在直接抗病毒药物（DAAs）上市之前，我国慢性丙型肝炎的标准治疗方案为聚乙二醇干扰素α联合利巴韦林的PR方案。随着DAAs的不断上市，我国慢性丙型肝炎治疗已逐渐过渡为以PR为基础联合DAAs及无干扰素的全口服DAAs方案，使慢性丙型肝炎成为可治愈的疾病。现拟对以PR为基础治疗慢性丙型肝炎的优势和不足进行阐述，为我国丙型肝炎的治疗提供参考。.

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has a prevalence rate of 0.43% in China and approximately 10 million chronically infected people are in urgent need of treatment. Since the beginning of 2013, pan-genotypic sofosbuvir (SOF) with its potent antiviral activity, minimal drug resistance, less drug-drug interactions and good safety has created a new era in HCV treatment. Its combination with ribavirin, in single tablet regimen with either ledipasvir or velpatasvir has been widely used in about 1.6 million patients worldwide. Furthermore, SOF-based therapy is proven to be effective and safe in serious or terminal illness such as decompensated cirrhosis, liver or kidney transplantation, HIV or HBV co-infections, bleeding disorders, intravenous drug users, adolescents, and elderly. Therefore, SOF-based regimens would fill the unmet medical needs of our patients with HCV.我国丙型肝炎的流行率为0.43%，将近1 000万的慢性感染者亟需治疗。2013年索磷布韦以其具有的泛基因型、强抗病毒作用、良好的安全性及较低的药物相互作用，开创了崭新的丙型肝炎直接抗病毒药物时代。索磷布韦与利巴韦林、索磷布韦与来迪帕韦、索磷布韦与维帕他韦的组合，在全球已被应用于治疗约160万患者。对于其他病情较重、或者特殊人群、索磷布韦为基础的方案也被证实是有效和安全的，比如失代偿性肝硬化、肝移植、肾移植、HBV共感染、人类免疫缺陷病毒共感染、出血性疾病、静脉注射吸毒者、青少年和老年患者。因此，索磷布韦为基础的方案将满足我国丙型肝炎患者亟待解决的医疗需求。.

Patients with end-stage liver disease have an increased risk of developing bacterial infections, resulting in an increase in the number of hospitalizations and medical expenses, a decline in the quality of life of patients, and an increased fatality rate. Bacterial infections in patients with end-stage liver disease is mainly due to the falling off the body's immune response causing respiratory infections, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal infections. The diagnosis of bacterial infection is more challenging because the occurrence of infection shows no typical symptoms and signs. The examination of some biological markers has important clinical significance for early diagnosis. The clinical prognosis is entirely marked on the patient conditions, the effective control of infection, appropriate broad-spectrum antibiotics, and empiric therapy. Antibiotics are the choice, but also need to be alert against drug-induced liver damage.终末期肝病患者发生细菌感染的风险增高，发生细菌感染后可导致住院次数和医疗费用增加、患者生活质量下降以及病死率增加。终末期肝病患者并发的细菌感染以呼吸道感染、自发性细菌性腹膜炎、尿路感染和胃肠道感染为主，由于机体免疫反应功能下降，发生细菌感染后难以表现出典型的感染症状和体征，感染的诊断较为困难，一些生物学标志物的检查，对于早期诊断具有重要的临床意义。根据患者病情选用广谱、强效的药物进行经验性抗菌素的治疗，有效控制感染，可以改善患者预后。在抗菌药物选择时，还需要警惕药物所致的肝损害。.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure is a syndrome characterized by acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis, organ failure, and high mortality. Clinical treatment of acute-on-chronic liver failure included comprehensive medical treatment, artificial liver support system, and liver transplantation, but such methods have their own shortcomings and patients tend to have a poor prognosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as a new type of cell therapy, have wide sources and are easy to extract and culture. Many studies have shown that MSC treatment not only helps to achieve a high survival rate, but also has good tolerability and safety; therefore, the clinical value of MSCs has become a hot research topic. This article reviews the clinical studies on acute-on-chronic liver failure, related mechanisms, and research advances, in order to provide a reference for future clinical trials and application.慢加急性肝衰竭以慢性肝炎急性加重、器官衰竭及病死率高为特点。临床治疗如内科综合治疗、人工肝支持系统、肝移植各自均存在不同程度的缺陷，总体预后不佳。间充质干细胞（MSCs）作为一种新型细胞治疗，来源广泛，且提取、培养方便，多项研究显示MSCs治疗不仅获得了较高生存率，并且具有良好的耐受性和安全性，成为临床应用研究的热点。现就当前MSCs应用于慢加急性肝衰竭的临床研究、相关机制及研究进展进行阐述，以期为未来开展临床试验及应用提供参考。.

Evidence has shown a strong association between ambient particulate matter and adverse health problems. In urban areas, most of households are located near arterial roads, which are exposure to fine particulate matter directly. Hence, it is critical to understand the near-road fine particulate matter concentration and distribution for the purpose of health risk analysis. This paper applies artificial neural network to estimate the near-road fine particulate matter concentration. Factors influencing the detected concentration are classified into four categories: traffic-related, weather-related, detection location-related and background-related. The estimated values are compared with concentrations detected by monitoring campaigns in Gainesville, FL and Shanghai, China. Distinguished from previous research, this study illustrates the fine particulate matter dispersion and distribution within 50 m near road with portable fine particulate matter detectors and weather instruments. The results indicate that artificial neural network approach is capable of producing accurate estimation of pollutant dispersion near road. Besides, fine particulate matter concentration decayed about a half at 30 m distance from an arterial road in Gainesville, FL. Background contributes to more than 2/3 of the detected value at roadside in Shanghai, and the distance–decay pattern is not as obvious as that in Gainesville, which is different from previous studies reported in the literature. An artificial neural network model performs better after removing the background concentration and with higher concentration value of fine particulate matter.

Summary Compensatory growth and body composition of juvenile Chinese sturgeon were investigated in indoor facilities at 19.0–22.3°Cafter food temporary deprivation under five feeding regimes: one group continuously fed and the other four groups were starved for 2, 4, 8 and 12 days, respectively followed by 16 days of re-feeding. During the starvation period, protein and lipid content of fish decreased slightly, while moisture and ash content of the starved groups became slightly higher compared to those of the control groups, with no significant differences. The hepatosomatic index (HSI) and the viscerosomatic index (VSI) for each test group (except s2) were significantly lower than that of the control groups. After re-feeding for 16 days, lipid content of fish increased significantly, while no significant differences were found in body biochemical composition, HSI and VSI comparing to the control groups. Final body weights and specific growth rates of s2, s4 were significantly higher than that of the control groups, showing over-compensatory growth; final body weights and specific growth rates of s8 were similar to the control groups, showing completely-compensatory growth; while the final body weights of s12 were lower than that of the control groups, with similar specific growth rates compared to the controls, showing partially compensatory growth. Food conversion efficiencies in groups S2 and s4 were significantly higher than that of the control groups; feeding rates of fish in group S8 and S12 were significantly higher than in the controls. We concluded that over-compensatory growth of S2 and S4 was acquired through raising food conversion rate, completely-compensatory growth of s8 and partially compensatory growth of s12 were acquired through increasing the feeding rate.

Bi3.25Eu0.75Ti3O12 (BET) thin films were deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si(111) substrates by a metal-organic decomposition method. The effects of annealing temperatures 600–800 °C on microstructure, ferroelectric, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of BET thin films were studied in detail. The spontaneous polarization (87.4 × 10− 6 C/cm2 under 300 kV/cm), remnant polarization (65.7 × 10− 6 C/cm2 under 300 kV/cm), the dielectric constant (992.9 at 100 kHz) and the effective piezoelectric coefficient d33 (67.3 pm/V under 260 kV/cm) of BET thin film annealed at 700 °C are better than those of the others. The mechanisms concerning the dependence of the enhancement d33 are discussed according to the phenomenological equation, and the improved piezoelectric performance could make the BET thin film a promising candidate for piezoelectric thin film devices.

The effects of annealing temperatures 600, 650, 700, and 750 °C on microstructure, chemical composition, leakage current, ferroelectric, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of Bi3.15Eu0.85Ti3O12 (BET) thin films prepared by metal–organic decomposition were studied in detail. The largest spontaneous polarization 2P s (98.7 μC/cm2 under 300 kV/cm), remnant polarization 2P r (81.7 μC/cm2 under 300 kV/cm), dielectric constant er (889.4 at 100 kHz), effective piezoelectric coefficient d 33 (46.7 pm/V under 260 kV/cm), and lowest leakage current (1.3 × 10−6 A/cm2 under 125 kV/cm) of BET thin film were obtained with annealing at 700 °C. The mechanisms concerning the dependence of the enhancement d 33 are discussed according to the phenomenological equation, and the improved piezoelectric performance could make BET thin film a promising candidate for piezoelectric thin film devices.

Classic Kaposi sarcoma is a type of vascular proliferative inflammatory disease. Previous studies have reported significant associations between microRNAs expression and the development of classic Kaposi sarcoma. Here, we conducted a case-control study to investigate the association between miR-146a and miR-149 genetic polymorphisms and risk of classic Kaposi sarcoma in a Chinese population. Both classic Kaposi sarcoma patients and healthy controls were recruited between December 2013 and October 2015. Genotyping of miR-146a and miR-149 was performed by polymerase chain reaction-coupled with restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results showed that the GG genotype of miR-146a was associated with increased risk to classic Kaposi sarcoma (OR = 6.00, 95%CI = 1.19-30.12), as compared with the CC genotype. In the recessive model, we found that the GG genotype carried a 4.55-fold increased risk to classic Kaposi sarcoma as compared with the CC + CG genotype (OR = 2.06, 95%CI = 1.04-20.29). In conclusion, our study demonstrated that miR-146a, but not miR-149 polymorphism, is associated with risk to classic Kaposi sarcoma in the Chinese population.

This study aims to explore the effects of physical injury and stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) on the proliferation of cardiomyocytes and chemotactic effects of cardiomyocytes on the migration of cardiac fibroblasts.Isolation and primary culture of rat cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts were performed; scratching was employed to induce physical injury on cells which were cultured with SDF-1α at different concentrations; proliferation ability of cardiomyocytes was checked with CCK-8 assay and migratory ability of cardiac fibroblasts under the chemotaxis of cardiomyocytes was detected with Transwell assay.SDF-1α enhanced the proliferation ability of cardiomyocytes with physical injury, especially at the concentration of 80 µg/L when the proliferation rate of cardiomyocytes increased most markedly. Moreover, physically injured cardiomyocyte that was cultured with SDF-1α significantly elevated migratory ability of cardiac fibroblasts, which tended to be more obvious along with the chemotactic culture time.SDF-1α enhanced the proliferation ability of cardiomyocytes with physical injury, and physically injured cardiomyocyte that was cultured with SDF-1α promoted the migration of cardiac fibroblasts.

The 16 October 1999 Hector Mine earthquake (M_w 7.1) was the first large earthquake for which postearthquake airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data were collected to image the fault surface rupture. In this work, we present measurements of both vertical and horizontal slip along the entire surface rupture of this earthquake based on airborne LiDAR data acquired in April 2000. We examine the details of the along‐fault slip distribution of this earthquake based on 255 horizontal and 85 vertical displacements using a 0.5 m digital elevation model derived from the LiDAR imagery. The slip measurements based on the LiDAR dataset are highest in the epicentral region, and taper in both directions, consistent with earlier findings by other works. The maximum dextral displacement measured from LiDAR imagery is 6.60±1.10 m, located about 700 m south of the highest field measurement (5.25±0.85 m). Our results also illustrate the difficulty in resolving displacements smaller than 1 m using LiDAR imagery alone. We analyze slip variation to see if it is affected by rock type and whether variations are statistically significant. This study demonstrates that a postearthquake airborne LiDAR survey can produce an along‐fault horizontal and vertical offset distribution plot of a quality comparable to a reconnaissance field survey. Although LiDAR data can provide a higher sampling density and enable rapid data analysis for documenting slip distributions, we find that, relative to field methods, it has a limited ability to resolve slip that is distributed over several fault strands across a zone. We recommend a combined approach that merges field observation with LiDAR analysis, so that the best attributes of both quantitative topographic and geological insight are utilized in concert to make best estimates of offsets and their uncertainties.

Aim: To investigate the relation between Helicobacter pylori associated gastroduodenal diseases and lymphoid tissue hyperplasia in the antral mucosa and to pursue its evolution after eradication of H pylori. Methods: Gastric antral biopsy specimens were obtained from 438 patients with H pylori positive gastroduodenal diseases (185 chronic gastritis, 69 gastric ulcer, and 184 duodenal ulcer) and 50 H pylori negative healthy controls. Lymphoid follicles and aggregates were counted and other pathological features were scored according to the updated Sydney system for classification of chronic gastritis. After a course of anti-H pylori treatment, biopsy specimens were obtained at four to six weeks, 12 months, and 24 months in the chronic gastritis patient group. Results: The total prevalence of lymphoid follicles and aggregates in the biopsies was 79.9% (350 of 438; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.76 to 0.84). The prevalence and density of lymphoid follicles and aggregates were significantly different in the various gastroduodenal diseases. The highest prevalence (89.9%; 95% CI, 0.83 to 0.97) and density (0.82) of lymphoid follicles and aggregates occurred in patients with gastric ulcers. The lowest prevalence of lymphoid follicles and aggregates was found in patients with chronic gastritis (74.6%; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.81), and the lowest density of lymphoid follicles and aggregates (0.56) was seen in patients with duodenal ulcers. The prevalence and density of lymphoid follicles and aggregates correlated strongly with the activity and severity of gastric antral mucosal inflammation. The eradication of H pylori resulted in a decrease in the prevalence and density of lymphoid follicles and aggregates. Conclusion: The prevalence and density of lymphoid follicles and aggregates in gastric antral mucosal biopsies correlated closely with H pylori infection.

Background: The metronidazole resistance of Helicobacter pylori strains has increased rapidly. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of new 1-week regimens containing ranitidine bismuth citrate, furazolidone and either amoxicillin or tetracycline. Methods: One hundred and twenty patients with H. pylori-positive inactive duodenal ulcer or non-ulcer dyspepsia diagnosed by endoscopy were recruited randomly to receive one of two regimens for 7 days: ranitidine bismuth citrate, 350 mg b.d., furazolidone, 100 mg b.d., and either amoxicillin, 1000 mg b.d. (n=60), or tetracycline, 500 mg b.d. (n=60). H. pylori infection was identified by rapid urease testing and histology. 13C-Urea breath test was performed to evaluate the cure of H. pylori infection at least 4 weeks after completion of triple therapy. Results: The eradication rates of H. pylori by ranitidine bismuth citrate–furazolidone–amoxicillin and ranitidine bismuth citrate–furazolidone–tetracycline regimens were 82% and 85% (P > 0.05), respectively, by intention-to-treat analysis, and 85% and 91% (P > 0.05), respectively, by per protocol analysis. Adverse effects were mild in both ranitidine bismuth citrate–furazolidone–amoxicillin and ranitidine bismuth citrate–furazolidone–tetracycline groups. Conclusions: One-week regimens containing ranitidine bismuth citrate, furazolidone and amoxicillin or tetracycline are well tolerated and effective for the eradication of H. pylori.

Bakcground: Eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection prevents duodenal ulcer (DU) relapse, but it remains uncertain whether eradication of H. pylori alone heals duodenal ulceration. Aim: To test the hypothesis that eradication of H. pylori infection is accompanied by healing of duodenal ulcer. Methods: A total of 115 consecutive patients with endoscopically confirmed H. pylori-infected duodenal ulcer were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group BTC patients received a 1-week course of colloidal bismuth subcitrate 220 mg b.d., tinidazole 500 mg b.d., clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. Group OBTC patients received omeprazole 20 mg daily for 4 weeks with the BTC regimen during the first week. Endoscopy with antral biopsies and 13C-urea breath test (UBT) were performed before and 4 weeks after completion of the 7-day triple or quadruple therapy. Results: Eight patients dropped out (four in BTC and four in OBTC). Duodenal ulcer healing rates on an intention-to-treat basis in BTC and OBTC were 86% (95% CI: 77–95%) and 90% (95% CI: 82–98%), respectively. The eradication rates of H. pylori on an intention-to-treat basis in BTC and OBTC were 88% (95% CI: 79–96%) and 91% (95% CI: 84–99%), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in ulcer healing rates and eradication rates between these two groups (P > 0.05). Epigastric pain resolved more rapidly in patients assigned to OBTC compared with those assigned to BTC. Both of the two regimens were well tolerated with only minor side-effects (3% of the 115 patients) and the compliance was good. Conclusions: BTC is a very effective H. pylori eradication regimen. Almost all duodenal ulcers heal spontaneously after cure of H. pylori infection using a 1-week low-dose bismuth-based triple therapy. Treating duodenal ulcer with simultaneous administration of omeprazole achieves ulcer pain relief more rapidly.

Background : A furazolidone-containing therapeutic regimen for Helicobacter pylori infection has attracted special interest in the face of a rising world-wide metronidazole resistant H. pylori, and the expense of currently used antimicrobial regimens. Aim : To evaluate the efficacy of furazolidone-containing regimens in eradicating H. pylori. Methods : One-hundred and forty H. pylori positive patients with endoscopically confirmed duodenal ulcer or functional dyspepsia received one of four different regimens to eradicate H. pylori. In the first trial, the patients were randomly assigned to receive a 1-week course of furazolidone 100 mg b.d. and clarithromycin 250 mg b.d., with either tripotassium dicitrato bismuthate (TDB) 240 mg b.d. (FCB group) or lansoprazole 30 mg daily (FCL group). In the second trial, the patients were randomly assigned to receive a 1-week course of clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. and omeprazole 20 mg daily, with either furazolidone 100 mg b.d. (FCO group) or metronidazole 400 mg b.d. (MCO group). Endoscopy was repeated 4 weeks following completion of therapy with re-assessment of H. pylori status on gastric biopsies by histology and culture. Results : Four patients (1 in FCB, 1 in FCO and 2 in MCO groups) dropped out because they refused a follow-up endoscopy. Eradication rates of H. pylori on an intention-to-treat basis in the FCB, FCL, FCO and MCO groups were 91% (32/35, 95% CI: 82–99%), 91% (32/35, CI: 82–99%), 86% (30/35, CI: 74–97%) and 74% (26/35, CI: 60–89%) (all P > 0.05), respectively. Mild side-effects occurred in 15% of the 140 patients. In MCO group, the eradication rate in the patients infected with metronidazole-sensitive isolates of H. pylori was 86%, but dropped to 67% in those with metronidazole-resistance strains (P = 0.198). Conclusion : One-week regimens containing furazolidone and clarithromycin in combination with TDB or a proton pump inhibitor fulfil the criteria for successful H. pylori therapy.

The usual two-fluid models for disperse two-phase flows feature an average disperse-phase stress in the disperse-phase momentum equation. It is shown that it is possible to derive an expression for this quantity without considering the detailed nature of the constitutive relation of the disperse phase. The result, which is more general than other relations of the same nature, is illustrated with a number of examples. It is also shown that a new formulation of the averaged equations recently proposed by the authors is equivalent to the more usual one.

Summary Background Recent work using genome–wide association studies (GWAS) in Chinese Han and white populations have discovered several novel psoriasis susceptibility genes. Aim To examine whether the risk loci for psoriasis identified in previous GWAS in a white population are also associated with psoriasis in a Chinese Uygur population in Xinjiang. Methods Genotyping analysis of eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with psoriasis was performed for 539 patients with psoriasis and 749 controls, all of Chinese Uygur descent, using a commercial assay. Results Two SNPs had an association with psoriasis in this Chinese Uygur population: SNP rs495337 in the gene encoding for zinc finger protein 313 (P